Research

The Evelyn Cambridge Surgical Training Centre is fully equipped to undertake basic, advanced and pioneering research into any aspect of surgery and product development, irrespective of whether or not this requires the use of human tissue.

In researching new surgical techniques, experimentation and development using live volunteers is ethically not possible in many instances. Using donated fresh frozen tissue from consented donors permits research into, and development of, instruments and procedures in a setting that accurately mimics the live surgical environment without the need for ethical approval and without risk.

Research into the comparative benefits and disadvantages of surgical approaches can be of particular value in developing new and safer surgical approaches. In the increasingly complex operations that are performed, particularly when it can be done without risk, the Centre permits extensive evaluation to be undertaken before putting such approaches into use in the living patient.

New and complex approaches can be researched and evaluated before offering them to patients.

Research into the causes of common complications of surgery, particularly minimally invasive surgery, is now possible and can help to minimize the risk of such complications when performing that surgery in the living.

Researching techniques and procedures that previously required the use of animal material, which often excites criticism from various sources, can be more realistically undertaken using fresh human tissue.

The potential for research in our facility to improve the standards of care for patients is vast and the possibilities endless.

All requests to undertake research are assessed and approved by the DI.